Noise Levels Causing People to Lose Sleep

You toss and you turn, but sleep eludes you. You pull the pillow down over your ears, trying to drown it out to no avail. We’ve all been there. Maybe it's the wannabe grunge band loudly rehearsing their set next door, or that one neighbor that is up at 6 A.M. every Saturday to mow their lawn.

Whatever the source, excess noise in your neighborhood can range from a minor annoyance to a major obstacle in the pursuit of leading a healthy, well balanced life. Excess noise can lead to the creation of a difficult home office atmosphere, destroy your sleep schedule, and leave you mentally and emotionally drained.

So what can you do, short of throwing a brick through your neighbors’ window? If you’re looking for the answer, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to discuss some strategies to tackle excess noise in your life, both regarding how you can learn to adapt and how you can cause the noise to stop. Let’s get into it! 

Make it stop!

If you’re dealing with excess noise, there are certain situations in which you might be able to end the noise, or at least arrive at a solution that alleviates its effect on you. There are a couple of different ways to deal with things in this way, so we’ll look at the most direct and easy-to-take steps. 

Talk with the noisemaker

If the source of the noise is a neighbor or nearby homeowner, you can often simply speak with them and ask them to stop making so much noise. While certain causes of excessive noise might be due to unavoidable circumstances such as lawn care, house repairs or other such occurrences, things like band practice or over loud parties can be conducted in quieter ways.

If the source of the noise cannot be halted altogether (such as might be the case with lawn care or repairs) you might be able to convince your neighbor to change when they do these necessary tasks, so it’s less disruptive to sleep schedule and everyday life. While it won’t eradicate the problem altogether, it may help.

In these situations, it’s always good to approach the conversation in a non-confrontational, no-aggressive way. Don’t be rude, and don’t make any demands. This won’t get you anywhere! Instead, calmly and clearly explain why you would like them to stop making so much noise, and perhaps suggest ways they can conduct themselves more quietly without undue inconvenience. 

Talk with your HOA

If your community has a homeowners association (HOA), they might be able to obligate the noisemakers to cease their noise-making under the threat of a fine. While this is a somewhat more extreme option, if all else fails, you may be left with this as your only choice. It’s not ideal, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

It’s important to note that such measures are likely to completely ruin any relationship you had with the people making the noise. If you have a close friendship with them, or even live immediately adjacent to them, it might be better to simply learn to deal with the noise rather than resorting to administrative action. While you can report the noise anonymously, it’s still best to consider how unwilling you are to try other options. 

Just live with it

No matter how hard you try, there’s a good chance that the noise that’s bothering you will be around for a while, and there’s little you can do to quiet it. Things like garage bands can be shut down; things like highways cannot. If you find yourself plagued with the noise of a beltway or lumber yard, you’ve got a couple of options. Let’s take a look! 

Get a good pair of headphones

While this might not be applicable in every situation, you’ll definitely want to at least consider this solution. Headphone technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years, and tech like active noise canceling, bluetooth pairing and other handy features make headphones an excellent way to escape the noise.

For less than one hundred dollars, you can purchase a set of in-ear bluetooth earbuds that actively cancel out noise and allow you to listen to music anywhere in your home. There are dozens of affordable options available, but as long as the sound quality is good enough for you, they should work . 

Practice mindfulness

Another great way to deal with noise is by practice mindfulness, a meditation technique that teaches one to be intensely aware of one’s outward surroundings without letting them affect you. There are many great ways to practice mindfulness, but the simplest is to stop what you’re doing periodically and take in your surroundings.

While this may not seem particularly useful for this situation, it actually is! By practicing mindfulness you’ll be able to recognize that the noise doesn’t have the power to affect you, because you choose not to let it. You’ll sleep better, you’ll be more relaxed and you’ll have greater peace of mind, all in addition to becoming more aware! 

Soundproof your home

When you’ve exhausted all other options, you always have the option of doing some soundproofing on your home. This can take many forms, from putting in a fence or hedge to replacing windows and doors. While it may seem somewhat expensive and time consuming, soundproofing your home can make your life a lot easier.

The best place to start when considering this option is calling a contractor or handyman and getting an estimate and some advice. What kind of noise mitigation you’ll need will depend on where the noise is coming from, who is making it and how loud it is. And, if you’re lucky, you might not even need that much! 

Consider relocating

If you can no longer stand the noise and cannot find any other way to deal with it, it might be time for a move. While some can learn to live with the noise, others may not be so adaptable. If the noise is affecting your mental or emotional well-being, you should probably just find a real estate agent and buy or rent a new home in a different location. 

Conclusion

Excessive noise is something that everyone who has lived near other people has experienced at one time or another in their lives. It’s unpleasant, but we hope you’ve found our list of tips on dealing with noise helpful and are able to apply them in your situation. With a little bit of legwork and adjustment, you might just be able to solve your problem. We wish you luck!